Chapter 3 - The Sanctuary on the Lake
The SUV turned through a set of wrought-iron gates that loomed twenty feet high, flanked by stone lions and armed guards who saluted smartly as the vehicle passed. They drove down a winding, tree-lined estate road that opened up onto the edge of Lake Michigan, where a sprawling, limestone mansion—built in the grand style of early-twentieth-century Chicago barons—sat silhouetted against the dark water.
This was the Moretti compound. A fortress of old money, absolute power, and lethal secrets.
As the vehicle glided to a halt under the grand portico, doors opened instantly. Two middle-aged women in conservative black-and-white attire stood waiting, their expressions warm yet disciplined.
"Welcome home, Mr. Moretti," one of them said respectfully, before her eyes drifted to Camille and the sleeping twins.
"Get the master suites on the east wing prepared," Adrian instructed, stepping out of the SUV and opening Camille's door himself. "And have Dr. Hayes brought up immediately. The lady has a contusion on her neck."
"I don't need a doctor," Camille said stiffly, though she didn't resist as she stepped out of the vehicle, carrying Josie in her arms. Willa held tightly to the hem of Camille’s coat, her eyes wide as she took in the towering marble pillars and the crystal chandelier hanging in the grand foyer.
"You're in my house now, Camille," Adrian said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And in this house, injuries are treated, threats are neutralized, and questions are answered on my terms."
They were led up a sweeping curved staircase into a suite of rooms that looked more like a five-star luxury hotel than a bedroom. Rich velvet drapes, a king-sized mahogany bed, a private fireplace already crackling with warmth, and an adjoining room filled with children's toys, books, and clothes that still had their designer tags attached.
"How... how did you know their sizes?" Camille asked, staring at the children's room in disbelief as the staff gently guided Willa toward a plush armchair.
"I've been watching over you for five years, Camille," Adrian said quietly from the doorway. "Every apartment, every diner shift, every time Travis managed to track your new address and I had to quietly redirect him before he got too close. Today... today my men were ten seconds too late to stop him before he laid his hands on you. That is a mistake that will not happen again."
Camille turned around, her eyes flashing with a mixture of fear and sudden, burning anger. "You've been watching us? You let him terrorize us for five years? You let us live in fear while you sat in this palace?"
"If I had stepped in openly five years ago, my enemies—and my own family council—would have known you existed," Adrian said, his voice dropping to a harsh, dangerous register. "They would have used you to strike at me. Keeping you hidden in the shadows was the only way to keep you alive. But the shadows aren't safe anymore. Travis crossed a line today. And inside this house, no one will ever touch you again."
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Before Camille could answer, a knock echoed at the door, and a gray-haired man carrying a medical bag entered. Dr. Hayes.
Adrian stepped back into the hallway, giving Camille space. But before he closed the door, he looked at her one last time. "Rest, Camille. Tomorrow, we talk about the past. And about what comes next."
